Open the max file


go up top and click on the four arrows (move)

go to the right and click on the axis "Y"

go into the front view port and put the pieces back together

open the material editor and put the textures of your choice
on to the "bishop" and the "pawn"


to make the board: click on "create" (finger with the spark)

you have two buttons below that..."geometry" and "shapes" 

click on shapes > rectangle

go into the top view port and make a rectangle as large as you can

next click on the hour glass with the string ("Modifiers")

 move the modifier panel up with the "hand" and you will see the "creation" parameters

change the numbers so that you have an exact square.......don't worry about the decimals
just make it a square  4000 x 4000 or whatever is the closest to your figures.

next go up to the modifiers and choose "extrude" and enter a value of  1

open the material editor and assign "checkers" to the board....

TILE:  EACH  parameter to   4

this will make the board with the correct amount of squares. 64

next make a "box" and place it under the board.....this should be larger than the board
itself  this will be the wood or marble or whatever texture you want for the base.

select the pawn by drawing a rectangle around it with your cursor.....when it turns white
go up to "group" and change the name to "pawn" now you can select it and move it as a whole

go up to edit and clone the pawn....and move the new pawn with the  X Y axis to the correct 
square on the board.....clone  8 for each side of the board

clone each bishop in the same manner....you need three more.
next step: try to make the rook........the queen and the king......save the knight for last
put the pieces in their respective spots on the board..

get in touch with me if you need help making the knight. good luck and have phun

THE MATERIAL EDITOR: CAN BE confusing if you are not aware of how to use it:

click on the first viewport in the material editor up top left.....it is a marroon ball.
click on it....down below you see the same color in a "bar" to the right of this bar is a 
small grey square...click on that and when the window opens click on bitmap and say ok.
the material editor window will change.......click on the long blank bar under bit map 
parameters and choose the directory that has maps or jpgs... say ok and when the window in
on the material editor changes to show the texture..click on the object in the work area 
either drag and drop the material onto the selected object......or click on the third button
from the left under the colored balls... go to the right and click on the blue checkered 
square and it will show the material on the object...now go up to 'rendering" and click on
render...... you can choose whatever size you want.....640 X 480 is the default
change it to 800 X 600 if you want something larger or smaller choose the other options
once rendered.....save your jpg......and move on to make corrections to your scene.